Anaesthesia for children's surgery
What to expect on the day, and how to talk to your child about it.
By Dr Chantal McNally, paediatric anaesthetist.
An anaesthetist is the doctor who keeps your child safely asleep, comfortable and pain-free during surgery. Australian specialist anaesthetists complete medical school followed by at least five years of specialist anaesthesia training. The anaesthetist on the day will introduce themselves and answer any questions you have.
Before the day
You will usually have contact with the anaesthetist beforehand — in person at the hospital or by phone to talk through your child's medical history. Expect questions about allergies, current medications, previous anaesthetics, family history of anaesthetic problems, and any recent colds or illnesses. On the day, bring a favourite toy, dummy, blanket or comforter; familiar things make the unfamiliar easier.
For up-to-date fasting times, please see MPAG's fasting page. The instructions there are specific to morning and afternoon lists and are kept current by the Melbourne Paediatric Anaesthetic Group.
On the day
You will wait with your child in the preoperative holding bay before walking through to theatre. One parent is usually able to come into theatre and stay until the child is asleep, then wait outside. Most young children go off to sleep with a soft mask; the drip (IV) is inserted once they are already asleep, so they don't feel it. For older children (eg teenagers) it may be more appropriate to have the IV inserted awake, but this can be discussed with the anaesthetist beforehand. Through the operation the anaesthetist remains with your child and continuously monitors heart rate, breathing, oxygen levels and temperature.
After the operation
Your child will wake up in the recovery room, looked after by paediatric-trained nurses. You will be called in once they are stirring. Some children wake briefly unsettled or disoriented — this is emergence delirium; it passes quickly and they don't remember it. A sore throat, mild nausea, grogginess or unsettled behaviour for a day or two are all common and expected. Your team will go through pain relief, when to eat and drink, and any signs that warrant a phone call.
Talking to your child about it
Simple, honest, age-appropriate language works best. A few phrasings parents find useful:
- "The doctor will give you a special sleep so the operation doesn't hurt."
- "There's a soft mask that smells like the flavour you pick."
- "If you get a 'magic glove' cream, your hand goes a bit sleepy too."
EPIC Kids has more guidance, including how to talk to children of different ages and what to do if your child is afraid of needles.
How safe is it?
Australia is among the safest places in the world to have an anaesthetic. Minor things — a sore throat, nausea, a bruise where the drip was — are common; serious complications are extremely rare. Research on short, single anaesthetics in young children is reassuring; SmartTots summarises the evidence on neurodevelopment.
More reading
- MPAG — Melbourne Paediatric Anaesthetic Group — parent FAQ and fasting times.
- ANZCA — Anaesthesia and children — fact sheet and animated explainer.
- ASA — Anaesthesia for Children — also in Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Punjabi and Vietnamese.
- EPIC Kids — psychological preparation for procedures.
- RCH Kids Health Info — Operation and recovery room — walk-through of the day.